Plant Cell-Derived Pectin

Abstract

It is intended to find characteristics of a pectin having a high molecular weight as compared with the existing pectins which are obtained by extracting plants and provide a method whereby the pectin can be supplied in a large amount. A callus derived from a plant is cultured so as to produce a pectin having a high molecular weight in the culture or the culture broth. Then the desired pectin is obtained by separating from the thus obtained culture or culture broth and purifying. The pectin thus obtained of the present invention has favorable properties as a moisturizer and, therefore, is excellent as a cosmetic material.

1 . A pectin comprising a galacturonic acid of from 70 to 90 mole % as a constituent sugar, and wherein the molecular weight measured by the gel filtration chromatography is in the range of 1×10 4  to 5×10 7  and the peak molecular weight is in the range of 2×10 5  to 1×10 7 .  
   
   
       2 . The pectin according to  claim 1 , wherein the mole ratio of the constituent sugars of a galacturonic acid:arabinose:galactose:glucuronic acid:glucose:xylose:rhamnose:mannose:fructose is 7 to 9:0.4 to 0.7:0.4 to 0.6:0.1 to 0.6:0.05 to 0.5:0.04 to 0.4:0 to 0.1:0 to 0.08:0 to 0.05.  
   
   
       3 . The pectin according to  claim 1 , wherein the pectin is separated and recovered from a culture or a culture broth obtained by culturing a  Nigella  plant cell.  
   
   
       4 . The pectin according to  claim 3 , wherein the  Nigella  plant is  Nigella damascena  or  Nigella sativa.    
   
   
       5 . (canceled)  
   
   
       6 . A cosmetic material containing the pectin as described in  claim 1 .  
   
   
       7 . A process for preparing the pectin as described in  claim 1 , which comprises separating and recovering the pectin from a culture or a culture broth obtained by culturing a  Nigella  plant cell.  
   
   
       8 . The pectin according to  claim 2 , wherein the pectin is separated and recovered from a culture or a culture broth obtained by culturing a  Nigella  plant cell.  
   
   
       9 . The pectin according to  claim 8 , wherein the  Nigella  plant is  Nigella damascena  or  Nigella sativa.    
   
   
       10 . A moisturizer containing the pectin as described in  claim 1.